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Finding aid for the Georges Turpin journals and letters, 1914-1952
940116
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Title: Georges Turpin journals and letters
Date (inclusive): 1914-1952
Number: 940116
Creator/Collector:
Turpin, Georges, 1885-
Physical Description:
2.9 linear feet
(7 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: French critic and poet. The collection consists of Turpin's journals from 1914 to 1952 as well as a set of ca. 240 letters
received and critical studies and eulogies. Letters from some 50 correspondents, mostly artists, concern reviews, exhibitions,
sales of paintings, and publications, and often contain musings on artistic theory and practice.
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Language: Collection material is in
French
French critic and poet.
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Contact L
ibrary Rights and Reproductions .
Georges Turpin journals and letters, 1914-1952, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Accession no. 940116.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa940116
The present collection assembles two separate collections. Approximately 190 letters from Georges Turpin were acquired in
1985 with an original accession number of 850812. The journals were not acquired until 1994. The journals themselves contained,
interleaved, ca. 150 letters. Those letters have been integrated with the earlier acquisition and are now housed in Box 7
of the present collection.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection consists of Georges Turpin's journals from 1914 to 1952 as well as a set of ca. 240 letters received and six
essays comprised of critical studies and eulogies. Turpin begins the journal in 1914, using loose leaf paper; in 1934, he
starts writing in bound diaries or agenda. Turpin's journals bring the artistic and literary world of early and mid century
Paris back to life. On Mondays and then later on Sundays, Turpin received his artist friends at his home to discuss art and
politics. He frequently visited the studios of various artists, offering detailed descriptions of the workplace and conversation.
Finally, Turpin paid attention to the particulars of the art world by recording how much a painting brought at auction, how
the winner of a prize was chosen or who were the members of a certain committee. The letters add even more context. From some
50 correspondents, mostly artists, they concern reviews, exhibitions, sales of paintings and publications. They often contain
musings on artistic theory and practice.
In 1935, Turpin tells us why he wrote the journal: "Dans ce journal je me plairai à dire, cette année encore, ce qu'on ne
dit pas, à noter ce qu'on ne note pas pour qu'il puisse servir à l'histoire artistique de ce temps. Je voudrais qu'on puisse
le publier un jour en y intercalant jour par jour, semaine par semaine, les restes d'art que j'essaime dans revues et journaux.
On aurait aussi une sorte de vue générale, de vue d'ensemble sur le mouvement artistique contemporain."
The papers are organized in two series:
Series I. Journals, 1914-1952;
Series II. Letters
Turpin, Georges, 1885-
Art critics--France
Art--Prices--France
Artists' studios--France--Paris
World War, 1939-1945--France--Paris
Paris (France)--History--1914-1918
Paris (France)--History--1940-1944
Paris (France)--Intellectual life--20th century
Diaries--France--20th century
Barbey, M. F.
Dongen, Kees van, 1877-1968
Duval-Gozlan, Léon
Girieud, Pierre, 1876-1948
Kupka, František, 1871-1957
Lecomte, Georges, 1867-1958
Lévy-Dhurmer, Lucien, 1865-1953
Mauclair, Camille, 1872-1945
Montezin, Pierre Eugene, 1874-1946
Peské, Jean, 1870-1949
Renefer, Jean Constant Raymond, 1879-1957
Villon, Jacques, 1875-1963